Bordeaux & The Dordogne

For anyone who likes wine, the Bordeaux region is one of life's
fortunate coincidences. If you'd like to see and taste Bordeaux's
finest export in the flesh, the success of the wine trade means
that virtually every flat surface around the city of Bordeaux seems
to be sprouting grapes of some description, and hidden among the
endless vineyards are some spectacular chateaux built with the
proceeds. The small and largely car-free centre of Bordeaux itself
is definitely worth a visit as well, with some excellent shopping
and restaurants serving food fit to combine with the wine. Food,
wine, shopping and culture - not a bad way to spend a luxury
holiday!

New luxury hotels in and around Bordeaux are
opening up all the time, and Original Travel visits the area on a
regular basis - for research purposes, naturally - and can arrange
holiday itineraries to include private and completely exclusive
vineyard visits and access to the cellars of
some of the best wine-makers in the world.

Vinophobes in Bordeaux need not despair as there are excellent
spas, bicycle tours and pretty good weather to enjoy if you'd
rather avoid hearing about warm, earthy flavours with vibrant
citrus undertones and hints of vanilla.

Inland from the bacchanalia of Bordeaux lies a different,
altogether sleepier part of France - the magical and ancient
Dordogne, home to the descendants of the original tribes of ancient
Gaul, and not much changed since the Romans departed.

This is a land of castles (1,001 if you believe the marketing
spiel), impossibly pretty medieval villages and limestone cave
systems home to artworks left by the regions even earlier
inhabitants, some 30,000 years ago. Many of these Paleolithic
paintings are - understandably - completely off limits, but you can
still see the uncannily realistic recreations of mammoths and wild
horses drawn by our ancient ancestors in a couple of places in the
Vzre valley. Not to be missed on a luxury holiday.

The Dordogne is also perfect for mountain biking, trekking and
canoeing along the region's eponymous river itself.

My highlight: The grape-based spa treatments at the spa of the Sources de Caudalie hotel. Situated on the vineyard of Château Smith Haut Lafitte, one of the area’s most-appreciated Grand Cru Classé wine makers.

A Note on Price

A no-expense spared weekend on the Côte d'Azur can cost upwards of £2,500pp. Or, take a self-catered villa in Provence, arriving in comfort via the train to Aix en Provence and your luxury holiday over the May half-term week can be taken care of for less than £10,000. Based on 8 people self-catering.